Clock.



G. KERN.

CLOCK.

APPLICATION IIVLED .TAN.13, 1912.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

INVENTOR WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0-, WASHINGTON, D. c.

UNITED STATIQS PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE KERN, OF PERU, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN CLOCK C0,, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 13, 1912.

Patented Feb. 10, 191 4..

Serial No. 671,114.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE KERN, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and resident of the city of Peru, county of La Salle, and State of Illinois, in the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to clock winding mechanisms, particularly that type of cloc winding mechanisms in which no winding barrel is used, and has for its object the production of such a winding mechanism that has a suitable means for protecting the remainder of the mechanism from injury in case the spring should break, and also means for readily removing a broken spring and replacing same with a new spring without taking the entire movement down to make the repair.

It is a well known fact that springs in clocks will break after they are away from the factory for some time, and if there is not an adequate guard, the parts of the wheel train adj acentto the spring are broken by the impact of spring against them, and further if some way is not provided for readily removing the entire winding mechanism of which the protecting means is a part, it will require the services of an expert clockmaker to take down the movement, remove the broken spring and parts, replace the broken parts and build up the movement again, as was necessary before my invention. With my invention an apprentice can remove a broken spring and replace it with a new one.

I accomplish these objects by the means shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a left hand side view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a right hand side view of my invention. Fi 3 is a cross sectional view along a llne A. B. of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side view of the protecting shield. Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view along a line C. D. Fig. 6 is a side view of the retaining plate. Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view of Fig. 6 along a line E. F.

Similar numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings 1 represents the rear plate of a clock movement and 2 the front plate.

Removably fastened to 1 by means of screws 3 is the retaining plate 4: which has an aperture 5. Journaled in the aperture 5 and in the aperture in 2 is the shouldered winding arbor 6 to which the winding key 7 is fastened by means of the screw threads 8. Mounted on 6 and fastened by means of a pin 9 is a sleeve 10 having ratchet teeth 11 which engage a pawl 12 which is pivotally fastened to the main wheel 14 by means of a pin 13; main wheel 14 is journaled on sleeve 10 adjacent to the ratchet teeth 11 and is held in position by means of a spring washer 15 fastened on sleeve 10.

One end of the spring 26 is fastened to the pin 9 and the other end is formed into a loop which fits over the pillar 16. One end of pillar 16 is fastened in the front plate 2 and the other end passes through an aperture 17 in retaining plate 4:, said pillar having the nut 18 to hold the retaining plate 4 on the pillar.

The spring 26 has a guard or protecting shield 19 of the shape shown in Fig. 4, having a larger curved portion 20 and a smaller curved portion 21; the upper half of one end is closed and has two projections 22 so formed that a space 23 is left between them and the edge of the curved portions so that the retaining plate 4 can be inserted as shown in Fig. 3, so that the guard 19 is removable with the retaining plate 4.

In case it is desirable to remove a broken spring, it is only necessary to remove the screws 3 and the nut 18 when the entire winding mechanism can be removed; then by removing the winding key 7, the retaining plate 4 and the guard 19 can be entirely separated from the arbor and from each other leaving the spring free for the repairer.

From the above description and drawings it will be seen the guard is very effective in restraining the spring when it breaks within due limits so that it will not injure the movement and is at the same time removable, and that the entire winding mechanism can be removed without taking down the entire movement.

It will be understood, of course, that while I have here shown one form of my invention, I do not wish to limit myself to ex actly the form shown but wish to have it taken in a sense illustrative of any or all forms that come fairly Within the scope of my claims.

I claim 1. In a clock, a stationary spring guard comprising a cup shaped member having an aperture in its bottom and means for fastening said member to the movement plate, said means comprising a plurality of projections formed out of the bottom of said cup.

2. In a clock, a spring guard comprising a formed sheet metal shell having an aperture in its bottom and projections from said bottom passing into said aperture, said projections being bent outwardly and downwardly into said aperture.

GEORGE KERN.

Witnesses: WVILLIAM A. RADTKE, OSCAR VJ DAUBER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington. D. C. 

